Karen Gentry of Alexandria, Va., just happened to see a news report that a Virginia Cash 5 winning ticket worth $100,000 was only hours from expiring, reported Yahoo. The television reporter asked viewers, "Would you leave a $100,000 lying around on your coffee table for anyone to grab? One Virginia Lottery player may be unknowingly doing just that."

Gentry remembered that she'd bought a ticket a few months back and dug it out. It was a winner.

By law, lottery tickets expire 180 days after the drawing.

Biggest U.S. lottery jackpots

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Money

Three lucky tickets won the massive $564 million Powerball jackpot on Wednesday. As you check your numbers, take a look at the top 10 biggest U.S. lottery jackpots of all time.